Finland’s Formula One driver Hekki Kovalainen and Italy’s Jarno Trulli will together with Malaysia’s Fairuz Fauzy spearhead Malaysia’s Team Lotus F1 next year. The new F1 team will start its first race in Bahrain next March.
Kovalainen, 28, made his debut with Renault in 2006 and moved to McLaren in 2008. He said he was impressed with the team’s progress.
“I am excited to be part of a team that is not only bringing back the Lotus name but doing so with the support and backing of Malaysia, a country I fell in love with when I first raced here in 2007,” he said.
Both Kovalianen and Trulli believed they would be a force to be reckoned with next year with Trulli declaring:
“Together, we are among the most competitive pairings on the grid. We are determined to bring success to Lotus F1 Racing. I am sure we can make Malaysia proud,” he said.
Lotus F1 chief executive officer Riad Asmat said the car would be built by the middle of next month with testing expected in mid-February before the first race in March.
